Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Wildcats to stay at Belle Vue after renegotiating rent

WAKEFIELD TRINITY Wildcats expect to be staying at their historic Belle Vue ground next season.
Belle Vue, the home of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.Belle Vue, the home of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Belle Vue, the home of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Wildcats chairman Michael Carter has confirmed the club are close to completing an agreement with the Bank of Ireland and their representatives, O’Hara’s, which will allow the club to continue as tenants at a reduced rent.

Carter – who described the rent being paid as unsustainable – had made arrangements for Wildcats to groundshare with Dewsbury Rams next season, after giving their landlords notice of the club’s intention to quit when the current tenancy agreement runs out in December.

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“We have got an agreement in principle with O’Hara’s and the Bank of Ireland and we are waiting for the legal documents to be drawn up,” Carter said. “Hopefully we can get that tied up and we will be good to go for next year.”

Carter added: “We have got a reduction in rent, we would not be signing up to it if we had not got that. I don’t want to specify what that reduction is, but we have got a reduction on the terms of what was the original lease.”

Carter stressed he had been serious about relocating to Rams’ Tetley’s Stadium and he thanked Dewsbury chairman Mark Sawyer and his club for their support.

“They have been more than accommodating,” he said. “If we weren’t able to get a suitable deal we would have been moving to Dewsbury next season.

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“You don’t forget people who do things for you and we won’t forget how supportive they have been.”

Meanwhile, Reece Lyne is back in contention for Wildcats’ Qualifiers fixture at Sheffield Eagles on Sunday, after being dropped last week over a disciplinary matter.

Carter said: “The investigation into Reece has been brought to a conclusion and he’s back in the squad.

“The investigation into Kevin Locke and Tim Smith is still ongoing and we hope to get a conclusion in the next couple of days.

“The investigation into a separate incident involving Scott Anderson has been concluded. He has been given a warning on this occasion and he is back training full time with the first-team squad.”